Best cyclocross bike under £1000 and other CX chat

I don't see how principles would come into it to be honest?

I bought mine knowing that I did not want the Halfords mechanics to put it together, and that it was likely to require a fair degree of fettling to get right.

I suspect that the majority of people who would spend £900 on a bike from Halfords have gone there knowing exactly what they are after, so are fairly likely to be able to wave a spanner at it, or take it somewhere that someone qualified to do so can fettle for them.

trust me.
with c2w there are a lot of people who ask for 1000 pound bikes from halfords that dont know one end of a bike from another.
keep the bike for a year and flog on ebay hoping to make some money

That's a very good point, and one that had escaped me.

Ok, apart from C2W people, I reckon that [etc]

I may be being unfair, but (based on the quality of the bikes in evidence in Halfords when I went in) I'd have no confidence that they'd be able to set those disc brakes up

I know this isn't the right thread, maybe someone could direct me to the correct one (I can't start threads for some reason)?

My bike got stolen yesterday so I'm now in the market for another bike and I got told to ask around on this site. I'm looking for either a racing bike frame for pretty cheap so I can buy the rest of the parts with the whole bike costing between 300-350 or a full racing bike or road bike for under 350. Was just wondering if anyones selling one or could reccomend a site that I could have a look on.

I live in SW London but would be willing to travel a reasonable distance around London to get the bike. Thanks, Nathan.

I don't see how principles would come into it to be honest?

For you (and me) they don't. But the average person buying a £1000 bike would expect it to be put together perfectly and on principle it should be as should any other brand new product.

And there are a good number of people who are actually interested in bikes who still take it to the bike shop to have the gears adjusted, punctures fixed etc,.
Some people just can't be bothered to even learn the basics.

Fair enough, you are right- be entering a world of frustration trying to get a bike like this setup in Balham Halfords, but the purchaser should be able to expect a bike in A1 condition it is true.

just to bring it back to the bikes for a moment - I have the CAADX 105 on order currently under a cycle to work scheme, but have been advised that i should not expect it until June or July "...or even later" by the retailer (Wheelies) due to manufacturing problems with the frame at Cannondale.

Not a problem for me as it gives me more time to work out how to tell my wife / work out where to keep it.

Only really ordered it as my company ran the C2W scheme again, and it seemed inappropriate not to buy something, and can sort of justify the purchase as something that will be easier to ride when out with my kids, as my fixed bikes skinny tyres do not handle towpaths etc well and the gearing on them is not appropriate for average speeds of 6 - 8 mph which we normally seem to achieve! This may be a sledgehammer to crack a nut kind of situation.

Hell, I might even try some cyclocross on it in the next season (assuming it's arrived by then).

Really enjoying the Boardman- apart from the brakes, which are honking like a giant Goose at the moment.

Sound like the rotor isn't aligned to the pads, happen to me as well, got fed up of the stupid honking after 3 months of trying to adjust it (aligning the rotor/pads, adjusting the pads distance to rotor, cleaning the rotor, try different pads, etc.), I brought a hydraulic one.

never honked again.

What about the mechanical offerings from Hayes and Funn (EZX)?

Tricky to google those at work- are either designed for road levers?

Tricky to google those at work- are either designed for road levers?

No. In fact the Hayes are designed specifically to function well with V-levers.

I have standard MTB Vees on my CX frame (yes its ugly), with special drop bar levers (and bar end shifters). I was thinking of keeping everything, and just upgrading my frame and calipers (already have upgraded wheels to centerlock disc compatible).

Something like a SIngular Peregrine, Salsa Vaya, or a Cotic.

Long term idea though (roadie to be finished first).

First post!

Been looking for information on the Boardman CX Teasm for a while, took me ages to find this. I purchased one 4 weeks ago, great bike. I have one question for owners, how is your front mech changer? The force that mine requires to shift from little to big ring is enormous, it takes all my strength to shift it. The spec says it should be an Apex from mech, all mine says on it is Microshift, is this correct?

I have tried adjusting the mech, it all looks OK but is still really stiff, I reckon some riders wouldn't even be able to shift it. Just wanted some feedback before I approach Halfords for an answer.

Thanks guys.

Welcome Mark, where are you from? (joke)

Have you checked your cable runs for frays, an acute angle or something binding on them?

Also are the limit screws correctly set up? (http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/front-derailleur-adjustments or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngm6dr-1na0
)

First post!

Been looking for information on the Boardman CX Teasm for a while, took me ages to find this. I purchased one 4 weeks ago, great bike. I have one question for owners, how is your front mech changer? The force that mine requires to shift from little to big ring is enormous, it takes all my strength to shift it. The spec says it should be an Apex from mech, all mine says on it is Microshift, is this correct?

I have tried adjusting the mech, it all looks OK but is still really stiff, I reckon some riders wouldn't even be able to shift it. Just wanted some feedback before I approach Halfords for an answer.

Thanks guys.

Go back to Hellfrauds and kick off, Microshift stuff is crap.

I'll check what mine says on it at home time, all I can say is that the shifting has been faultless on mine.

Did Halfords build it for you, or did you take it home in the box?

Just checked the specs

Microshift is the CX Comp
Apex is the CX Team

Did they sell you the team and give you a comp or did you mistakenly buy a comp?
Might need to go back and call shenanigans

I bought a CX Team 7 weeks ago as my commuter bike. I'm enjoying it very much, the discs didn't squeal on day 1 but did on days 2-5, a bit of mild bending of the rotor and yanking on the anchors as hard as possible soon bedded them in. The levers are quite spongy though although the ones up top are a lot more positive.

I think it is a pretty perfect commuter bike, the tyres soften the bumps on the shitty city roads, the brakes give you confidence in traffic and it has the option of fitting rack and 'guards. It's reasonably swift too, closer to a road bike than mountain bike.

Also just fitted one of these horns it seems good value, it's fecking loud, scared the crap out of me first time I honked it, though not had the opportunity to use it in anger yet.

As for Halfords, it took a few days longer to get it than expected but I think none had been shipped to stores when I ordered it. However the guy at the store was helpful and it was built up perfectly well. Since then I've had a frame painted at a much renowned finishers and by comparison the service was poor, took twice as long to do as expected and they never called me once, I always had to call them to chase them up.

Thanks for the replies. My bike is definitely a Team (I didn't think the Comp was available in the UK?). There are no frays or kinks in the cable that I can see and I have adjusted the limit screws etc. I really wanted to know if a stiff front shifter was normal, which it appears it isn't.

Mmm, the plot thickens.

Looking at cyclocross-commuter frames with disc tabs. Can anyone add to this list?

Singular Peregrine - Great clearances, mudguard and rear rack mounts.
Cotic X - Cheap but no commuter friendly mounts.
Salsa Vaya - Good clearances, mudguard and rear rack mounts.

(I commute on 42mm spikes, through snow for 4 months of the year. hence the desire for disc brakes and tyre clearance)

Oh and Halfords built the bike for me.

Looking at cyclocross-commuter frames with disc tabs. Can anyone add to this list?

Singular Peregrine - Great clearances, mudguard and rear rack mounts.
Cotic X - Cheap but no commuter friendly mounts.
Salsa Vaya - Good clearances, mudguard and rear rack mounts.

Crosslight Pro6

Crosslight Pro6

Brilliant suggestion. I'm currently on a cheap alu frame with carbon fork and it suits my needs brilliantly.

Go to the top of the class*.

(*unless it comes out for mega £££s)

Well the EVO4 is £500 RRP, and the CSix2 is £1000 RRP, so I'd expect to be something around £650 RRP, (or about £525 in the real world).

I've got the FiveT and desperately want a lighter alu frame for racing this winter. Doesn't seem to be anything worth upgrading to though, no-one makes a light alu frame with sensible cable routing without disc tabs (don't want).

The Santa Cruz Stigmata Frame is made from Easton Alu and has a claimed weight of 1300g. Which must be about as light as you can expect for an alu CX frame.